Nov 25, 2024  
2018-2019 Graduate Catalog (As of 12-14-18) 
    
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2018-2019 Graduate Catalog (As of 12-14-18) [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Special Education, M.A.T.

Laura Brock, Interim Program Director
843.953.8058
brockll@cofc.edu

http://teachered.cofc.edu/grad-progs/edsp.php

Mission Statement

The Special Education Program at the College of Charleston prepares teachers to meet the educational, social/emotional and behavioral needs of children and youth with disabilities. The curriculum provides coursework on campus as well as field experiences and clinical practice in diverse school settings. Given the K-12 nature of special education certification, students are exposed to a wide variety of ages and functioning levels.  Also, given the inclusionary nature of current special education service delivery models, candidates are provided with experiences working with students with disabilities and their teachers in general education settings. Candidates are trained to competency in the use of research-based pedagogy and assessment procedures. The program is consistent with professional standards delineated by the Council for Exceptional Children.

Program Description

The Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) Special Education is nationally accredited by the Council for Exceptional Children and by the South Carolina Department of Education. Most coursework in this program is taught by full-time faculty members (holding terminal degrees in their fields), who have extensive teaching experience and maintain active research and service agendas. Coursework is offered in late afternoon and evening sessions Monday through Thursday for fall and spring terms and in day and evening sessions during the summer terms. Students may enroll as part-time or full-time candidates. Full-time graduate students may be eligible for graduate assistantships through the Graduate School.

The M.A.T. in Special Education is designed for individuals with undergraduate degrees in areas other than education who want to become licensed special education teachers. This multi-categorical program includes three areas of study: emotional disabilities, learning disabilities and mental disabilities. The Program of Study currently requires a minimum of 48 credit hours of graduate credit. If candidates have not recently taken a course in human growth and development or developmental psychology, they must take that course. Successful completion of the M.A.T. Program of Study, including the teacher education requirements, leads to recommendation for licensure in South Carolina in the student’s area of concentration. Teacher education requirements include successful clinical practice during a fulltime semester, passing the specialty Praxis exams, and other School of Education, Health, and Human Performance and South Carolina Department of Education requirements that can be found on the program’s website. Candidates should consult this website for changes in program or state requirements.

Admission Requirements


Institutional Requirements

  • A completed application form with a nonrefundable application fee of $50.
  • Official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate coursework. An earned bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university is required.
  • International applicants should refer to the International Students area within the “Admissions Information”  section of the catalog for information on providing appropriate documentation with the application.

Program Requirements

  • A completed online application with a nonrefundable application fee of $50.
  • Official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate coursework. An earned bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university is required. Applicants are required to have a minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 2.500 on a 4.000 scale. Undergraduate coursework should represent a broad liberal arts background.
  • A statement of purpose describing why the candidate seeks to pursue the M.A.T. program and a career in teaching.
  • Two letters of recommendation. Letters should be from persons most familiar with previous academic and/or work experience and should indicate evidence of potential for graduate studies.
  • A professional résumé
  • Results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), if English is not the primary language of the candidate
  • Official scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
  • A statement of ability to perform essential teaching duties under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

These requirements are subject to change before the next catalog is printed. Application packages are available through the Graduate School or online.

Application Deadlines

  • Fall: March 1, Priority; July 1, Final
  • Spring: November 1
  • Summer: March 1

Transfer Credit Policy

An applicant or student from the M.A.T. in Special Education program can seek approval from the program director to accept up to six transfer credit hours from an accredited program. The courses proposed for transfer will be reviewed by the faculty advisors. These courses must have a grade of B or higher, and may count toward the degree requirements. Courses with a grade of “Pass” or “Satisfactory” will not be accepted.

 

Program Requirements
Student Learning Outcomes